Loose-leaf binder



June 81,; 1926. 1,588,314

. R. CUMMING LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Jan. 15, 1926 27 0 9 I Q u 2 ,7 z

a I/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIA III/l 1 1 Patented June 8, 1926.

UNITED STATES,

ROBERT columns, or 'rononro. ONTARIO, CANADA;

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

I Application filed-January 15, 1926. Serial No. 21,490.

My invention relates to improvementsin loose leaf binders, and the object of the nvention is to devise a simple, cheap, easily and quickly operated binder which willnot mar or scratch any polished surface upon which it may be placed, and will exert a constant and even grip upon the loose leaves to hold them tightly in place and which automatically secures itself in the tightened position at the end of the tightening operation, and it consist-s essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as hereinafter more particularly explained. V

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of alooso leaf book with my device applied. thereto.

Fig. 2 is a end of the boo Fig. 3 is a sectional the book back a portion in elevation and the operating mechanism mostly in section. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on line 44 Figure 3. I V

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view online 55 Figure 4. I

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail of a portion of one of the loose leaves showing the slot through which the securing member extends. In the drawings like characters of refer-. ence indicate corresponding parts in each figure. 1 and 2 indicate the covers of the book between which are held the loose leaves 3. The leaves 3 are provided with slotted openings 4 which are in vertical alignment one with the otherawhen within the book and through which the "securing means is adapted to pass.

5 and 6 are the back members of the book covers hingedly connected at 7 and -8 to fices 15 and 16 through which the operating spindle is adapted to pass as clearly indi;

cated in Figure 3. The operating spindle comprises two members 17 and 18.; The member 17 is slightly reduced as indicated at is member 18 is in the form. of

pfrspective view of back plan view showing the movement.

drawn to ether.

a hollow cylinder which fits onto the reduced portion 19 so as to beturnable there-V 20 and 21 are knobs formed at the outer ends of the members 17 and 18 and which are operated manually as will, hereinafter appear. I

23 and 24 are clutch members secured respectively to the members 17 and'18 and provided on their inner face with radial ratchet clutch teeth 25v and 26 which engage one with the other as shown in Figure 2.

Then the teeth are in engagement as illustrated and the knobs2O and 21 are gripped in either hand of the operator the spindle members 17 and 18 may be turned in opposite directions so that the clutch teeth will slip one over the other and re-engage by manual inwardv pressure at the end of V 27 and 28 are straps of leather. or canvas or any other suitable material secured at one end to the. member 17 preferably by passing through diametric slo'tstherein and being securedin such slots. The opposite ends of the straps pass respectively to the outside of the back-members 5 and 6 and passthrough slots 29 and 30 and through vertically aligned'slots 4 of the loose leaves 3, the free ends being secured to the inner face offthe-back members 5. and 6 as indicated at 31 and 32..

- 33 and, 34 are similar strap membersse opposite to that in which the straps. 33 and 34 are wound upon the spindle member 18, and thus the back members 5 and Gare It will in the v I he readily seenthat'the device ad .justs itself tothe ofthe teak so a . cured in a similar manner to the member 18, p the free. ends also passing over the outer faces .of the back members 5 and. 6 to pass through the slots 29 and-3O formed means of the links 9 and 10, the spindle formed by the members 17 and 18 always remaining in central alignment with the book back, the links 9 and 10 spreading outward to correspond to the thickness of the book.

The leaves 3 are provided with slots t through which the securing straps 52,7 and28, 33 and 34L pass. The loack portion ,of the leaf forming the back wall of the slot is slit as indicated at 3 to permit the insertion of the leaves in the book by passing the strap through such slit into position in the slot.

When it is desired to insert a new leaf in the book or remove one therefrom all it is necessary to do is to turn the spindle members "l7 and 18 in the opposite direction to arrow so as to loosen the straps'27 and 28, 33 and 34: from their tightened position and then spread the back membersb and-6 apart and slip the desired leaf from the strap by permitting the strap to pass -throughthe 'sl-its 3, p

NVhen turning the knobs '20 and 21 in opposite directions as above described to .wihcl the straps '27 and 28, 33 and 34 upon the 'members of the divided spindle so as to pull them taut it will be readily seen that the pull of the straps on one side of the book centre is in opposite direction to that ,ofthe straps on the opposite side of the-book centre and-therefore the pull is equal in both directions tending to turn one membervof the spindle inone direction and the other mem ber of the spindle in the'opposite direction, the pull of Zone member balancing the pull of the other member and thereby *ho'liiling the spindle as a whole stationary so that it will not turn in eitherrdirection From this description it will be seen that I have devised a very simple, cheaply constructed, easily and 'quickly operated loose leaf binder which has no sharp corners or parts liable to scratchany polished surface upon which it may be placed, such as a desk, the straps 27 and 28,33 and 3a contacting with the desk and thereby preventing the metal parts rubbing upon the surface; At thesame time I have" devised a loose leaf binder which will exert a constant grip upon the leaves to hold them tightly place so that-there is no possibility "of theirbecoming loose in the binder and by which the tension exerted remains even from one side of the hinder to-ithe other, and therefore I have dey-ised a loose binder which secures itself automatically after each tightening operation;

' Wl1at I claim as my invention is:

'1, In a loose leaf binder, the combination with {the back members, of a spindle divided centrally of its length, links pivotally mounted on each back at one end and through the oppositeends of which the spindle extends to pivota'lly connect'th e linkst'ogether, straps secured to the spindle members at one end and so connected to the back members as to pull them towards each other by turning of the spindle members in opposite directions, and means for detachably locking the spindle members together at the end of their turning movement.

2. 111a loose leaf binder, the combination with the back members having slots therein and loose leaves inserted between the back members having slots in alignment with the aforesaid slots, of straps secured to each back member and extending through the slots of the leaves and through the slots .of

the opposing back member, bearing members earriejd by the back members, a spindle divided centrally of its length into two -members mounted to turn in opposite directions in such bearingmembers and provided with turning knobs at its ,outer ends and to which the straps are connected so that the straps extending from one back member are woiind in an opposite direction to the strap extending from the other *back member when the spindle members are turned opposite directions, and means between the members of the spindle for automatically connecting them together at the end of the tightening operation.

3. In a loose leaf binder, the combination 7 with the back members having 7 slots therein and loose leaves inserted between the back members having slots in alignment with the aforesaid slotsfof straps secured-toeachback member andextending through-the slots of ,the leaves and through the slots of the opposing back member, bearing members car.

in an opposite direction to the strap extending from the other back member when the spindle members are turned in opposite 'direc-tions, and a clutch member mounted on each spindle member adapted to engage one with the other at the end of each oppositely directed turning movement of the-spindle members.

4. In a loose leaf binder, the combination with the {back members having slots therein and loose leaves inserted between the back members having slots in alignment with-the aforesaid slots, of straps secured to each back member and extending through the slots of theleaves and through the slots of the opposing back member, bearing-members carried by the back members, a spindle divided centrally of its length intotwo members mounted to turn in opposite directions in such bearing members and provided with turning knobs at its outer ends and to which the straps are connected so that the directed ratchet teeth in the opposing face of straps extending from one back member are such clutch members adapted to engage one wound in an opposite direction to the strap With the other at the end of the oppositely 10 extending from the other back member when directed turning movement of the spindle the spindle members are turned in opposite members. I directions, and a clutch member mounted on 7 each spindle member and having oppositely ROBERT CUMMING. 

